Customer Reviews

Every Woman's Guide to Cycling: Everything You Need to Know, From Buying Your First Bike toWinning Your First Race

5 star:		(25)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I am a 50-year old woman who has decided, at this late stage in life, to get into bike racing. Just got a copy of Selene's new book, and am enjoying it immensely. Her writing style is accessible, and the book holds my interest from beginning to end. Particularly inspiring are the short profiles of women who have made big changes in their lives through biking.

The training plans are helpful - I was able to map out a six month (so far) training schedule using the examples provided, with a few personalized tweaks. I feel excited and confident with my new plan in place, especially knowing it is based on scientific principles, and real life experience. That said, it would be great if Selene would write and publish a separate training log as it is difficult to use this book as a daily log - I don't like to write in my books, and it doesn't really open flat.

Of the books I have purchased thus far - "Cycling Past 50", "Fitness Cycling", "The Complete Book of Long-Distance Cycling", and "The Heart Rate Monitor Book for Outdoor and Indoor Cyclists" - this book is by far the best for a beginner, and the perfect starting point. It is a fun read, and the training information is presented in a very accessible manner. I was able to quickly understand the concepts and apply them to specific goals. Can't say enough about "Every Woman's Guide to Cycling".

This book really blew me away. I have been a sporadic mountain and road cyclist for years, so I never thought I could learn much from a cycling book. How wrong I was! 'Every Woman's Guide To Cycling' has loads of information for all levels of riders. Emergency maneuvers, training plans, food advice -> all drawing the reader in with Selene's approachable and fresh style. I am now motivated to ride my bike regularly and even try out the book's racing advice.

Bottom line - great book. Great information. If you are planning to by a bike, get this book. Go the library or sit in Barnes & Noble for a couple of hours, but the info about buying alone is fantastic and makes it worth getting.

This book was so useful for buying a bike and starting out. I will admit to skipping over the MB parts, but her tips for road riding and etiquette were so useful. I read this book before buying my bike, and it was incredibly helpful. I felt confident going into a shop and telling them what I was looking for - and I'm sure it was easier for them to help me, too. Before I read her book I was aiming for a cruiser or hybrid, but reading it helped me realize neither of them would be a good fit - so I went with a road bike, and even after just two days I'd say it was a great choice. Also, she includes price ranges of bikes (depending on type), and also explains the benefits of a more expensive bike. Knowing what to expect certainly helps soften the blow from dropping hundreds of dollars on a bike!

I am (and have always been) a timid rider, but her techniques for cornering have not only helped me improve that aspect of my riding, but also gain confidence that I'm not going to fall over. She also tackles general riding, and explains gear, climbing, and spinning. It is so much easier to climb hills now! She also dedicates some pages to riding in traffic - really helpful, and it helps boost my confidence about riding in traffic (something that scares me).

If you want to diet, race a time trial, or do a century she has workout schedules planned to get you prepared. She covers types of bikes, buying bikes, gear, clothes, traffic, and technique, both on- and off-road. My boyfriend is an avid recreational cyclist and even he found a lot of useful information in there, especially regarding purchasing a bike.

I have always ridden a bike from Walmart but am training for a triathlon and thought it was time for a "real bike" so I bought this book. I know next to nothing about the bike scene, so this book was perfect. Everything was covered from which bike to buy to training for a race. There were some secrets on how to actually be comfortable on a bike and be able to walk straight the next day even if you're a beginner. I continually go back to this book for info.

I like the easy conversational approach and the examples of women of varying ages, varying degrees of skill and ability taking to the road or (off-road.) I especially like Selene sharing her own struggles and 'bad' choices... allowing us to see her as one of us... and allowing us to learn from her experience. I also enjoyed some of the myths Selene dispells (a huge one about training in the 'fat burning' zone.)... I have argued with significant others about this... it never fully made sense to me why, when given the choice, I would choose to burn less calories than more. Selene states it eloquently with a great example... !

The one thing keeping me from giving it a full 5 star rating is the discussion on vegetarianism. I feel she misses the mark and the 'complete protein' argument is also an old 'myth' that has since been left behind with advancements in science and understanding nutrition. You do not need to eat meat in order to get your protein... (cows eat grass for theirs...!). Here are a few examples of protein packed foods:
Tempeh, Seitan, Soybeans, Lentils, Beans, Tofu, Quinoa, Nut Butters,
Almonds, Bulgur, Sunflower Seeds, Spinach, Broccoli, ....

It is very easy for a vegan diet to meet the recommendations for protein. Nearly all vegetables, beans, grains, nuts, and seeds contain some, and often much, protein. Fruits, sugars, fats, and alcohol do not provide much protein, so a diet based only on these foods would have a good chance of being too low in protein. However, not many vegans we know live on only bananas, hard candy, margarine, and beer. Vegans eating varied diets containing vegetables, beans, grains, nuts, and seeds rarely have any difficulty getting enough protein as long as their diet contains enough energy (calories) to maintain weight.

I am excited to put the pedal to the test and add it as great way to increase my fitness. This book has me very motivated. I hope it will do the same for you!

I recently purchased a bike and wanted to learn more about cycling. Gears confused me and I had no confidence.

The book is great. I am now becoming more confident riding hills and have learned to use my gears better and spin! I've also learned about eating to ride and a bit about maintenance. Being specifically oriented to women it suited me down to the ground.

Just 2 days ago I went in a 35km charity ride. I was concerned I wouldn't make the distance, the longest I had ridden before was 20km. Well, I did it even the dreaded hill I had heard about! Oh what a feeling!

Morning rides watching the mist over the paddocks and the sun coming over the horizen. No children constantly calling Mummy. Riding along singing a song -- just a brilliant feeling.

Wouldn't have the confidence without reading the book.

Great book. Great sport.

I purchased this book with the intent of getting back into cycling and learning the appropriate techniques. It is exactly what I was looking for!! The info on buying women specific bikes made me feel more confident while shopping. The tips on shifting, etc. has really helped me riding. I highly recommend this book for anyone new or just getting back into the sport.

I am so happy I bought this book. I've been cycling on and off with my husband for 7 years but I have recently decided to ride more seriously. While I consider my husband's advice on cycling at professional level, it is nice to get a take on a women's perspective and experience. Ms. Yeager is very knowledgeable from everything to choosing the best bike for the type of riding you want to do to gear and equipment. She also discusses everything from food to safety and everything in between. Her writing is also entertaining and interesting, so you will never be bored with this book. So whether you choose road or mountain biking, leisure riding or training to ride with clubs or teams, you will have everything you need to know in this book.

Reading Selene Yeager's book is like having coffee with a dear friend who happens to be a biking and fitness expert. She gives you well-researched facts, industry insider information, the kick in the butt to get going, and the hand to hold when the going gets tough.

I'm 39 years old, and going to ride the bike leg of a mini-tri for the first time. Selene's book has inspired me. I just bought my first bike (with clipless pedals even) and I'm eager to hit the road with her thoughtful training, and riding advice.

A must have for new and aspiring female on and off-road cyclists.

As a cycling newbie, but one very interested in improving both my fitness and my overall speed and stamina, this book was a God-send. I enjoy the way Selene writes... her style is very down to earth and humorous, without being condescending. The most helpful aspect of the book to me is the training plans that are included. I'm sure that I'll get to the point where I'm comfortable designing my own plans (especially with these to help me along!), but having the assistance up front and without a lot of complicated jargon is really making the difference.